Roses Are Red
by BleedingSapphireShadows
Summary: Dante and Nero may be bound by their past and a demonic curse, but Dante wants to get closer still. Does Nero feel the same? How close can two friends get? And when their past catches up with them, can they protect each other? AU FANFIC! RATED M YAOINESS!
1. Ch 1: Valentine

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 1: Valentine's Day**

Friends don't kiss friends.

They just don't. Not in Fortuna.

I've known him since the day we were born. He was like...a brother, almost. He'd filled in that role beautifully. He was strong, warm, and _loving_. He shared his bedroom with me, we'd slept beside each other ever since we shared our crib... Where one of us went, the other followed. And he'd grown up to be a _very_ handsome man. Hell, even as a boy he was gorgeous. He'd stolen the _Axe _while I was showering once when we were 12, and I had to chase him all across Devil May Cry _in a towel _to get it back. But when I finally cornered him, just_ looking_ at him, grinning and gorgeous in his angel-white shirt...it made me think twice before throwing a hissy fit at him. So yeah. I'll be honest. I love him.

We're 16 now, or at least close enough. We still shared the same room and bed. And yeah, demon aging is a witch, but he looked _good_, and he could still revert to his younger form, like I usually did. He preferred his older form though. 6'2" and chiseled with muscle...who _wouldn't_ like being that handsome? Even with his fully-mature body though, he _still _had _no_ shame in showering in front of me. At least _I_ got a bit nervous when I showered while he dried off and such. And of course, growing up made our relationship change a little bit. He was getting more and more like a _big _brother instead of just any close sibling. I was almost petite against him when he hugged me. He had _definitely_ grown up. But it was more than that. We were teenaged demons, and we both knew we'd want mates some time soon. So, sure enough, we talked it out together, like we talked out everything else. And I guess I should thank him, because our chats about what we wanted in a partner made me realize I was into guys. That I was gay.

I had never talked about stuff like that in my entire life, with _anyone_, except for him. And here we were, on Valentine's day, with him _knowing_ I was gay.

He blindfolded me to get me to whatever store we went to. The blindfold meant one thing: he was getting me a gift, and he didn't want me to see. Now that we were finally home, he walked me over to the red leather couch and sat me down.

Friends don't kiss friends.

I heard him set the stuff down on the table in front of me. His fingers slid through my hair as he undid the blindfold.

"You ready, Nero?" his deep purr fell on my ears, my name rolling off his lips.

"Dante...what're you up to?"

"Heheh...open your eyes."

There on the table was a heart-shaped box of chocolate, and three short-stemmed roses. One was red, the other two were pink but red on the inside and along the edges.

"Oh my god...Dante...they're gorgeous..."

"Eh. You love red and pink, so I figured you'd like them. And I _know_ you love chocolate. I'm not the only one here with a sweet-tooth."

"No you are _not_." I said it knowing I was ready to tear into the box and devour them.

"Hey...kid..." his fingers wrapped around my chin, and he turned my head so I looked at him, "...Happy Valentine's Day."

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine as he gave me a single kiss.

My entire body tensed.

Friends don't kiss friends.

**~A/N: I know this might be a confusing first chapter, but all will be explained in time! Don't worry!**


	2. Ch 2: Love

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 2: Love (2/15/11)**

I assumed my usual stance: kicked back in my chair with my feet up on my desk.

It was the day after Valentine's Day. The day _after_ you confessed your love.

And I couldn't do it.

I, Dante Sparda, didn't have the guts to go up to Nero and confess.

He wasn't thrilled when I kissed him... He got all tense! After 16 years of sharing our bed, being best friends, "twins", showering in front of each other, talking about this stuff...after everything we did together..._he didn't even want to kiss!_

Hell, would _you_ have the guts to confess to your best bud when it would be the end of everything if he rejected you?

And trust me, gay as he is, Nero is _picky_. _Very_ picky._ Especially_ when it came to men. He didn't just look at your face or your body. He looked at _everything_. Your preferences, your temper, your personality, your past, your quirks...everything. And _one_ wrong detail could change his mind completely.

Nero believed in true love. But he also believed in uping the chances of true love by being very, very thorough.

So yeah. I'm scared. Scared I don't have a chance in hell of being with him. He's lucky. In demon society, with me as his Master, I could _order_ him to sleep with me. Masters didn't give their Familiars any choice. A 'no' was ignored, and a 'yes' was no big deal 'cause it was happening anyway.

So I guess I stopped being his Master the day I started to care about him.

I'm sort of lucky too. If Nero hadn't been cursed into serving me, I wouldn't be here right now. Our mother never would have given birth to me. But no. Here I am, alive and born, drooling over my Familiar and for some reason not getting any from him.

At least that pickiness meant no other men got affectionate with him. Nero was waiting for true love, just like me. Well no. I found it. I just couldn't act on it.

But COME. ON. I may look 27, maybe 30, but demon aging stopped right there. I was a man, and I was ready to mate. And I knew I didn't have a shortage of willing potential partners.

But I wanted to mate. With Nero.

_God_ that kid was too repressed! He was modest, picky, didn't drink, didn't 'cuss without cause'... _Damn_ his Fortunian morals! Worse yet, he had iron self-control. Hell, come on. He could go a week without pizza and not even flinch. He _had_ to have self-control, right? So even if he liked me, he could keep me waiting 4-EVER!

_...what the hell am I gonna do?_

...I love him!...

A muscular arm wrapped around my neck gently, a pale hand holding out a dish to me. With the voice of an angel, he nuzzled my hair, "Brought you some pizza..."

"Hey Nero." *sigh*

"You okay? You've been pouty ever since yesterday."

"I'm fine."

"Dante...you can talk if you need to. Whatever you've got on your chest, I know it's there. I'm not gonna judge. I love you."

Those words...were like claws. Because he could say he loved me, but he'd never mean it the way I did. And you might think that loving someone who hates you is the worst, but it's not. It's falling in love with someone who loves you back, who cares, just not the same way. Because if they hate you, you can learn to hate them back. But when they love you, they ask why you look hurt. They notice when little words or looks seem out of place. They care. But they'll never care the same way. So when you tell them, it blows up in your face.

He kissed my cheek, set the pizza down on my desk, and sat politely down on the red leather couches. Nero had a talent for handling people, especially people as similar to him as me. He knew now wasn't the best time. So he'd sit and wait for me to tell him.

He seemed so uninterested though! He was still a virgin for friggin'-freak's sake! And he wasn't troubled by it! So how the hell was I supposed to explain to him that I wanted to hop in bed with him and take away his purity?

Wait a minute...

What was the problem here?

I had no clue if he would be interested in me. That was the big deal, right?

And most people would be direct and ask, especially a guy as direct and straight-forward as me.

But...there were indirect ways to find out...right?


	3. Ch 3: Experimantation Pt 1

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 3: Experimentation, Pt. 1 (2/16/11)**

It was a whole new day, and Dante seemed to be in a much better mood. He wasn't awake yet, but I had been awake since 3 AM last night. Partly because I was really sort of...concerned about him. I was trying to sleep. I really was. But it was hopeless. Dante had this way of sighing in his sleep instead of snoring...and the sighs were much cuter than the alternative. And seeing him sleep so soundly was confirmation that he had solved his problem. But that was a bit of a problem for _me_. Not that I wanted to see him hurt, but a mystery was something I could NOT resist, and finding out what had been bugging him was an important mystery. Now that he was feeling better, I might have lost my chance to find out what was so troublesome.

I felt him nuzzle me in his sleep. I had slept on my stomach, and he had slept on his side, pressed up right against me. I may be his Familiar, and he may not have told me much about what that meant, but I don't recall an agreement to be his pillow.

Didn't he say he wouldn't treat me like his Familiar? So wasn't this curse null and void anyway?

Dante stirred. My thoughts were replaced with the feeling of him moving even closer to me. The arm over my shoulders slid down until his hand was just past the small of my back. Okay, so he was maybe petting a kitten in his sleep? But if he was, he better watch his hands, because _this_ kitten here has claws and doesn't like to be pet without permission.

The arm that was under my neck moved, his hand cupping my shoulder.

Was he...really going to fondle me? I should stop him; he couldn't consent if he was asleep.

I tried to sit up a bit, but his hand slipped off my shoulder. His fingers curled a bit and his hand slid down to my chest.

Whoa...we may be best friends, but it was an agreement that sharing the bed didn't make groping each other okay. His hands-

I felt something slide over the brim and onto the back of my boxers.

-were SO not...where they should be...

He nuzzled me again. Was he...PURRING?

Purring for a demon was a sound of happiness. It was used to express physical pleasure. Next to moaning or screaming, purring was the sound to make if you liked how you were being touched. SO WHY WAS DANTE PURRING?

His hand slid further down onto my chest, and he pulled me straight up against him. His lips brushed the edge of my ear. Remind me what he was dreaming about again? I wanted to sit up, but then I felt his fingers close on my chest and gently start to squeeze. I gasped... Nobody had _ever_ touched me like this before... I sat up more, his hand brushing the soft, velvet stub beneath my shirt. I let out a shaky breath, my whole body on fire and arching with the sensation.

Okay...that was enough. It was time to wake Dante up.

I rolled onto my side, Dante's hands slipping from my body. I put a hand on his sturdy shoulders, shaking him awake.

His eyes opened, and he sat up stretching. He looked down at me, "Hey...morinin'."

"Yeah, morning to you to. What were you dreaming? Cause if you weren't touching me in your sleep, you could have dreamt more of it."

"If..._what_?"

"You heard! You were touching me in your sleep..."

"Oh wow...um...I'm sorry, I...I didn't exactly mean to." he chuckled, looking as innocent as he could but a bit nervous.

"Yeah...well...I thought I should wake you up-"

"Yeah, absolutely...!"

"-you know, since you couldn't consent."

"...what? You _wanted _my consent? Well, I guess I must be pretty good with my hands if you _wanted_ me to touch you."

"I never said that!" I sat up, raising my voice a bit but not yelling.

"Aww, no need to get defensive, you can be honest, I know you like me..." he was just playing, but his voice dropped, deep and dark and...

..._sensual_...

What the hell was wrong with me? What was...happening to me? This...weird part of me was acting up... What was I even feeling right now? I didn't like it...didn't _trust_ it... But it felt all warm and intense...it felt like I was on fire almost. But I'd over-heated before. This was _not_ the same thing.

"...Oh come here." He hugged me, pulling our bodies together.

"Dante...! Dante! Come on..." I struggled a bit, Dante laughing as he held on.

He fell on top of me, my arms coming free and my legs pushing against his. I pushed against his shoulders, and I felt his lips brush against my cheek and jaw. I giggled, my legs hugging him. I heard his dark chuckle, and I felt him nip my ear. I almost raked my nails over his shirt, his breath hitching, his hands sliding under my shirt. I laughed, using all my force to roll him over. He smiled up to me, and I pinned his wrists down.

But...what was that bulge I felt under me? It was...sort of...right under a _very_ sensitive part of me.

Oh...wait...um...I was straddling him. So that bulge was...

I gasped. Friends did _not_ sit on their friends' intimate parts. I picked my hips up off him, and my body moved up, my chest hovering just below his face. I looked at him, his eyes locking with mine.

"Oh-kay...that's...enough. We _really_shouldn't be doing this. I think we've had enough fun for one morning. ...Um...come on. We should get dressed and go get breakfast." I got off of him, straightening out ny big grey night shirt and getting off the bed.

Dante followed me off the bed, taking off his shirt. He bent over, picking his clothes up off the floor as I did the same. I put mine on the bed. They were clean enough to wear today. Dante opened the small black closet door and put his clothes in the laundry basket. He took off his boxers and tossed them in too.

I tried to avert my eyes...but...

He was starkers...his body was just_ there_... And he was so..._sculpted_...

He reached into the top drawer of our night stand, pulling out a clean pair of black boxers and slipping them on.

I sighed...the boxers clung, but it was better than him being naked in front of me, right? I mean, yeah, he showered in front of me all the time, but at least there he had glass and steam to protect him. And just looking at him, stark naked like that...it made that warm, intense feeling start to burn through me again...

God, what the hell was wrong with me? This was DANTE! Why was I feeling like this around him?

I dared to let my eyes wander his body as he came closer. His arms wrapped around me, and he pulled me close against him, my face in his chest. My breath caught in my throat as he kissed my temple. I hesitantly put my hands on the sides of his stomach, trying not to gasp for air.

Friends didn't make friends have trouble breathing. Friends didn't set each other on fire inside. Friends didn't enjoy each other's touch or each other's body.

What the hell was going on with me?

Dante put his clothes on, and I tried to do the same as quickly and modestly as possible. I nearly charged down the stairs.

"Whoa kid, where's the fire? Jeez, what, is the Order after you or something?"

"...No..."

"Then slow down. Come on. let's take a break from pizza. You wanna go out for breakfast? There's a cafe down the street with some great coffee...though you don't seem to need more energy..."

"Ha ha, very funny. If you wanna go out, we might as well, but only if you stop teasing me-"

"Teasing you?"

Why did his voice sound so...husky...and deep...and...sensual again?

God, when is this heat going to go away?


	4. Ch 4: Experimentation Pt 2

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 4: Experimentation, Pt. 2 (2/17/2011)**

Well, yesterday told me one thing for sure: Nero was holding back.

He didn't seem upset or disturbed about our intimacy that morning. That was a good sign. Good thing I knew how to fake being asleep. If I could fool Lady, I could fool Nero. But if Nero found out that all the clothes I put in the laundry basket were clean, or that I willingly put my hands on him...or that the purr wasn't fake...

Either way, there was no mistaking his face. I'd seen ukes before (in animes), and that face was one every one of them seemed to be able to make. The face of being desperate for more, but just as desperate for it to end... God, if Nero was that much of a uke...where he blushed, arched his back, screamed...I would _melt_. There was _nothing_ hotter than uke Nero writhing in passion.

And speaking of blushing, Nero wouldn't be doing that if he didn't like me.

Scheming up that 'sleep'ing act had been easy enough. Now it was time for something more devious and intimate. Yesterday's plan went perfectly, _especially_ when he straddled me.

Should I use my younger form? I'd be a copy of Nero that way...Masters could switch appearances with their Familiars, some safety-of-the-Master-so-they-get-the-wrong-guy deal, but if I took on Nero's looks...

No. Nero wasn't conceited. And I practically radiated male-ness in this form. Nero would be a lot easier to sway if I used that aura.

Maybe I should shower while I thought of something.

Nero_ loved_ the smell of _Dark Temptation_. It was his favorite type of Axe, and and_ Excite_ was the only real rival for his preference.

I poured more of it onto the washcloth, spreading the scent onto me.

I was thinking...it was still kinda close to Valentine's Day...but probably not close enough to use that anymore. So how was I supposed to tempt him if I didn't have an excuse? I was in the shower...I guess I'd just have to work with that for now. I didn't work out just to stay strong: I knew most guys would envy my looks. If all went well, Nero'd take a look and get as steamy as the mirrors are right now.

I stepped out of the shower after rinsing off and stopping the water. Hmmm...should I wear the towel or not? It'd be too short to cover my legs, but it'd cover all the stuff I needed Nero's reaction to...

I ran my hair through the towel, walking out of the bathroom, Nero folding the laundry on our bed. He turned around with a stack of shirts in his hands.

"Oh...Dante...um...doesn't the towel go on your hips?" he gasped.

"No. It dries you off and then it gets tossed away. See?" I threw it into the closet's empty laundry basket.

"So where are your clothes then?"

"You washed them all. I just took a shower, I don't wanna get them all wet." I walked over to the side of the bed Nero wasn't working on, laying down.

"...So you're not gonna cover yourself?"

"Kid, if you're saying you _want_ me to put my clothes on, I'm offended."

"N-no, I didn't mean it like that...I'm not saying you're unattractive, it's just...won't your future spouse be upset over how intimate you are with me?" there he goes again with his silly Fortunian morals.

_Not if all goes well between us, kid. _"If they can't handle you, they're not good enough for me."

"...Dante...you mean that?"

"Yeah, why?"

He walked over, looking a bit shy but still determined. He leaned down, putting his arms around my neck. He set his torso down on top of mine, keeping his legs off of me.

"Spouses are a person's top commitment...if you'd choose me over your spouse...I'm glad to hear you love me that much."

_Kid, don't be glad. You don't know how I love you yet. _"Yeah...well...I've been with you for 16 years. You're more special to me than anyone else. You know that?" I cupped his cheek with my hand.

He locked eyes with me, his gaze soft and warm. He broke our stare, leaning down to kiss the corner of my mouth.

"You can kiss a little to the right if you want..."

"You mean…on your lips?"

"Yeah...we're best friends, kid. I think we can be intimate."

Nero leaned back, eyes widening, "You realize 'being intimate' can mean-"

"Making love? Yeah. But I meant being more intimate with our kisses." I leaned up, his lips meshing with mine for the second time since Valentine's Day, "Though, if you wanna, I don't think being intimate would be a bad idea."

He sat up again, "Seriously?"

I didn't answer verbally. I just put on the same hesitant but warm gaze he used. And he got the message.

"D-...Dante...casual...'love' could really mess us up...I care about you...I don't want to throw our friendship down the drain. I'd rather wait before we do that…."

"Well, listen, if you wanna be closer, there's no shame in that, kid." I watched as he blushed. "I mean it. There's nothing wrong with loving someone."

His blush didn't change.

I kissed him on the cheek, changing the subject, "Anyway, time to get dressed. It's almost time to order a pizza for tonight."


	5. Ch 5: Mystery

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 5: Mystery (2/18/11)**

Okay. This was getting_ way _too weird.

Dante got me roses, most of them red, on Valentine's Day. He had kissed me twice, he seemed to _want _his clothes to stay off around me, and he said he wanted me to consider sleeping _with_ him, not just sleeping _beside_ him.

Friends got each other pink or white roses on Valentine's Day, and if they kissed, it wasn't on the lips. And friends didn't sleep with each other. That was what made them friends and not something closer. So _why_ was Dante doing all this stuff? What was going through his head right now? We were just friends, right?

But...friends didn't offer to sleep with friends. And I loved Dante, but I had no clue_ how_ I loved him anymore. My body was constantly getting way too tense and way too heated around him, and I had no idea what kind of emotion this was. Even more importantly, if I cared about Dante so much, I wouldn't risk loosing him. If we slept together, and didn't feel 'passionate' about each other, then that could make things beyond awkward. And then I'd loose him, as a friend and a...'bed-mate'. And I was not risking that. Dante was too important to me.

Trish and Lady were out on a mission all the way in Paris. Pretty far away from here in Fortuna. And Kyrie was busy helping Credo manage a search of Port Caerula for any 'suspicious persons, items, or otherwise'. And the windows of Devil May Cry are tinted. So you could say the sheer lack of people who could see him was why he opted to not get dressed this morning. But I had my doubts of that being the real reason.

He sat at the kitchen table in nothing but his boxers. And he even had the nerve to start going through the morning's newspaper for any signs of demons, just like he did every morning, like his state of undress was irrelevant. Maybe for him it was, but not me. He was facing me despite the back of the chair rising along his side.

I put bread in the toaster and kept cooking the eggs. We both would have been fine with pizza, but the one he ordered last night didn't live to see the morning.

"You know, you do the laundry, you cook, you make the bed...better watch out or you'll turn into a maid." he smirked and crossed his legs.

I grabbed the pitcher of milk, ready to pour it onto his lap, even walking over to him with it. But when my eyes fell on my target, the only part of his lap I even noticed was the bulge in the front of his boxers...my entire body shut down, the warm, intense sensation coursing through me. He was _huge_, but I never had the guts to look down and check him out before.

"Kid...?" he flicked the newspaper out of the way, seeing my gaze and following it. He whistled, getting my attention, grinning and raising an eyebrow, "...my face is up here, kid."

I blushed as red as an apple. My best friend just caught me staring at his...'parts'. "I-I know, I'm s-sorry..." I turned around, setting the milk down on the counter, the toast popping up just in time. I stabbed at the eggs with the spatula to break them up before buttering the toast. With both of them done, I got out two plates and loaded them with food. I took extra caution not to drop the food as I set it down on the table. I got us both forks and sat down. I swore I was still blushing.

Dante put down the paper, starting to eat. "...This is good...I think my maid just earned herself a raise."

I stopped in mid-bite. _Maybe I should go get the milk again..._

"Maybe I should make plans to celebrate. You wanna go for a few drinks at Love Planet tomorrow night?"

"Is there gonna be alcohol involved?" I finished my bite, chewing.

"Only a little at most. It's not like you'd let me get drunk or anything."

Dante was absolutely right. I wouldn't. Alcohol could really mess with you, and we both needed to be sober if demons showed up. And alcohol would only make things worse if someone spiked your drink. Plus, I didn't want Dante confessing his love to the bartender or anything stupid like that. He and I were important people in Fortuna. Our reputation was important, considering it got our bills paid and pizza on the table. So yeah, I had issues with alcohol. And Kyrie agreed, which only made my feelings stronger.

But now I had an even bigger reason to forbid alcohol: if Dante came on to me while he was drunk, I had no idea what I'd do. I didn't trust myself with him. If he woke up the next morning without his purity and regretted it, he could charge me with rape. And that was enough to scare me away right there. I was his friend, I looked out for him, and alcohol went against that.

Dante was my world. I _had _to take care of him.

"If we go, you only get two drinks with alcohol. Deal?"

"Deal. Though normally you cut me off at three."

"If I were Kyrie I'd cut you off at zero. Considering how you're barley above under-aged to drink in Fortuna, you're lucky."

"Okay, okay...point taken...tough bargain though kid."

I kept eating, trying to calm down.

"Hey, Nero...I'll take you shopping for new boots and anything else you want if you let me have three. I'm not saying I will, but...if you promise not to get mad until then?"

Shopping...was irresistible. Especially for boots. If my day wasn't spent here, it was spent killing things. So a break from that was necessary. "...Fine."

Dante set his fork down and got up, kissing my forehead, "You're an angel, kid."

I huffed in disagreement.

We finished breakfast, Dante deciding to finally get dressed.

He pulled in his trench coat, "So, kid, you ready to shop?"

"Now? I thought you meant in a few days-"

"Nope. You ready?"

"...Yeah!"

We walked out of the shoe department of the mall, Dante carrying two boxes and me struggling with three. I felt completely silly. Two of the boxes we got were second pairs of boots we already had. Two others were combat boots, and the third was a pair of canvas ankle-boots. So far we'd spent $80, and if Dante took that third drink, this certainly wasn't the most financially healthy agreement I could have made with him. And once the 'girls' found out I caved in to Dante so I could go shoe shopping...it wouldn't be the most pride-friendly choice either.

Dante stopped dead in his tracks.

I followed his gaze.

He was looking straight into the entrance to _Victoria's Secret_.

Not at the pictures or the models or the mannequins. At the entrance. Like he wanted to go in.

"Hey kid...you never got to be my Valentine. You just got chocolate and flowers. It's a few days late, but the sales are still on. Why don't we go get you something pretty to wear?"

"But...you said boot shopping-"

"And anything else you wanted."

He managed to grab my bicep with two boot boxes in his arms, dragging me in with him.

Oh my god...I was walking into a lingerie store...with Dante dragging me there. The cashier would _so_ recognize us...like I said, we were pretty well-known in Fortuna. And now, whenever she heard 'Nero Angelo', she'd think of the 16-year-old boy who wore lingerie to keep Dante Sparda happy. Oh. My. God.

Dante dragged me to the silk robes first, trying to take it slow until we got to the more intimate stuff. They were short, but the robes came in red or black, and matching boxers got thrown in if you got both of them and two of 'item #723'.

Dante took one look at how the robes clung to my arm and went with my skin tone. And then he draped one of each color over his arm and dragged me along as he searched for 'item #723'.

We found it on a shelf with mannequin hips wearing a pair of them. They were near-see through lace panties, the back hardly covering anything. They came in red, black, or a promotional leopard-skin design that came with a matching bra. Dante grabbed all three designs, holding them up to my hips to make sure they were the right size.

He went up to the cashier with a smile on his face. My cheeks were on fire with mortification, and I didn't say a word as he paid.

"Oh...Sir, the promotional design you got..."

"Yeah?"

"It comes with matching boxers too. Hold on, I'll go get them out of the back room." She left.

"Jeez kid...you're not only expensive, you're totally embarrassed, aren't you?"

"Only Knights of the Order get called 'Sir'. She knows who we are."

"So?"

She came back, putting the boxers in the bag, "Here. After all, girls have to have fun too, right?" she looked at me.

"...I'm not sleeping with him...!" I nearly squeaked.

"Oh!" her eyes went wide, like she was surprised I wasn't.

I just gave her an equally wide-eyed I-can't-believe-you-thought-I-was look.

Dante chuckled, patting me and running his fingers through my hair, "He's just shy...he'll come around eventually." he picked up the bag.

I bolted out of there like the cops were after me, whether Dante was keeping up or not. We made it to the car, and I dropped my three boot boxes into the back seat. Dante opened the opposite back door and set down his two boxes and the incriminating _Victoria's Secret_ bag. I sat in the passenger seat.

"You know, we didn't try the stuff on in the store, so I think I wanna take a look when we get home."

"You want to see me in that stuff for yourself?"

"Uh-huh. This whole trip _did_ come out of my wallet, you know. And it _was_ my idea."

I could have screamed.

"Relax. It's not like you'll be the only one of us who strips down. I have to try on the boxers."

My heart pounded, begging to get out of my chest and go somewhere far away. Far away from everyone who knew I had _lace panties_ and even farther from the man who wanted to see me in them. This whole shopping trip was a _bad_ idea. A _very _bad idea.


	6. Ch 6: Boundaries

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 6: Boundaries (2/19/11)**

Oh my god...seeing Nero in lace...oh my god...I was_ still _turned on.

He laid on his side, inches from me. He was still sleeping between our sheets, and last night he wore the very lace panties I was drooling over to bed. But only on the condition that he got to wear a robe with it. And on the condition that I slept with a robe and boxers on, too. I rolled onto my side, hugging him, but making sure to keep some space between us. I didn't want him getting mad at me. He still had boundaries. The way he caged up his inner demon ensured it.

But speaking of caging himself up, it was time to get him to loosen up. Not to the degree where he'd happily get drunk, start cussing every other word, and go home with any man who tried to grab him, but certainly to the point where he didn't hold himself back and he'd at least consider being with me. Definitely to the point where he'd be with me.

You might call that selfish, wanting to change him so I could have a better shot at being with him. But it wasn't. He _needed _to be set free. He was a demon. Demons are _not _meant to control their urges.

I'd seen enough over the past five days to get the hint. I'm pretty sure he likes me. So for his sake, maybe it was time to give him 'the talk'. He needed to hear it. It's not like Trish was gonna give it to him, let alone Lady, Kyrie, or Credo. It's not like Eva was here to tell him what two men did in bed together. And it's not like Sparda was here to give his son the talk either. Since I was setting myself up to be his boyfriend, it seemed...appropriate for me to give it to him.

He stirred against me, moving closer, finding my warmth and pressing against me. I hugged him closer, wanting to keep him comfortable and cradled.

But...was something wrong with his breathing? He was panting...and now that he was this close to me, I could feel that he definitely wasn't cold. I saw his fingers twitch, and his legs were pulling themselves closer and closer together... What was up with him? Was he too hot(well, of course he is, but is he hot in the thermal sense)? Was he too cold? I slid a hand under the covers, putting my hand on his arm. His back arched a bit, and I took the chance to feel it. The muscles there were completely tensed up! And I could feel his heartbeat through his shoulder blade! Was he okay?

I sat up, the covers slipping off of him, and I rolled him onto his back, his legs staying as they were. I pulled his robe open and unhooked the back of his bra, his back arching beautifully over my hands. Hopefully the freedom to breathe would help him out.

His breathing stabilized, his eyes opening, a bleary gaze fixing on me.

"You okay, kid? It sounded like you couldn't breathe...if this stuff's gonna cut off your air supply, you can't fight in it-"

"It wasn't the clothes, Dante. Um...while your hands are there, can you re-hook the...thanks." He looked up at me as I fixed his bra.

"Anyway, if it wasn't the clothes...was it a bad dream?"

"Not a bad one, but...yeah. Look, I _really_ wanna go take a cold shower right now. So...if you don't mind?"

I let him get off the bed, and he went straight to the bathroom, stepping into the shower before tossing his robe and undergarments over the top of the shower wall. I heard him start the water, stepping right in, looking tired and ready to lean against one of the walls.

He _wasn't_ okay, was he?

If that was the case, it was best to help him out. Friends were there for each other no matter what, and if I was gonna be his _boy_friend, I had to be there for him now.

He went in there without a towel, or the _Axe_. I snatched them and a washcloth for him too, bringing all three of them to him.

"Here, silly. I think you might need this." I handed him his soap and cloth over the shower door, tossing his towel down beside his lingerie.

"Thanks." he answered.

I checked: the lingerie seemed clean, but the robe was soaked...with _sweat_. "Uh...guess you'll be needing some clean clothes then, eh? Your robe's not clean. Mind if I take care of this little task for you?" I pulled the robe into my hands.

"No. Go ahead." I heard him sliding the washcloth along his skin.

I went to our small black closet door, putting the robe in the laundry basket so it would get washed. I pulled out a grey t-shirt for him and a pair of jeans, leaving his trench coat in our closet. Let me tell you one thing: there's a benefit to having a bathroom straight across from your bed and closet: you can keep an eye on that special someone.

Nero hugged his chest, hands on his arms as he leaned against the wall. I could see him trying to calm his breathing, like he was trying not to cry. I brought his clothes in and put them with the rest of his things over the shower wall. It was a good thing they weren't getting wet.

"Hey...Nero...you okay? Seriously this time. You seem hurt. If you need to talk, you know I'm here for you, right?"

"...Of course I do Dante. You've always been there. We're best friends. I know you love me."

"Nero...I'm serious. If you want to talk, you can tell me anything."

"Sounds more like _you_ wanna talk."

"Actually, I kinda do have something to talk to about. I remembered. I wanted to talk to you about...making love."

I could barely hear it, but he gasped, "Uh...Dante...I'm not...sure-"

I put my forearm against the glass, leaning in, "Not about _us_ doing that, about doing that in general. Mom and Dad never gave you the talk, Trish isn't about to, and you _need_ it Nero. I know how repressed you are when it comes to this, and I think you need to hear the part where I tell you it's natural and not something to resist or be scared of. And I think you need to hear the part about how you're a growing demon that _needs_ to find someone to mate with. You're an animal, Nero, and so am I. We're both gonna need mates soon. And I don't wanna scare you off by thinking I expect you to sleep with me, but we're close, I wanna be closer, and we both need a mate soon. So I think I have a valid discussion here."

He didn't respond.

"Nero...I don't want you to feel pressured into anything. And I don't want you to be scared. Okay? Relax. I just want to talk. We've been friends since we were babies. I think we should be able to tell each other what's on our minds. And I think we can talk about what happens when men get intimate with each other. You're a virgin, so am I, and I think it's best if we go over what needs to happen. You've never had sex before and I don't want you to get hurt. Men who take the bottom in their relationship put themselves in a position that can turn painful very easily. I don't want you to get hurt when a man tires to show you his love. And I'm not gonna leave you clueless about which parts go where. You need to know."

"...How explicit are we gonna get?"

"As explicit as you need me to get."

He turned off the water, taking his towel down and wrapping it across his body. He covered himself from chest to mid-thigh, wearing it the way girls did. He opened the shower door, stepping out. "Fine. We can talk. But let's get through Love Planet first, okay?"

"Sure. Mind if I shave?"

"Uh...no. Just try not to stare."

I opened the drawer of the sink, grabbing my straight-razor, opening it and running it along my jaw as I leaned over the sink. I could see him getting dressed in the mirror, but I did as he asked and tried not to stare. I would have been more careful and used shaving cream, but if I cut myself, I'd heal. I kept running the blade along my jaw.

Nero stretched, only dressed in his lingerie.

"Aaah!" the blade slipped, digging into my skin.

"What happened?" Nero walked over, putting an arm around my neck. The lace couldn't completely censor his chest...

"Uhh...I'm fine." I let my eyes hover over his bra.

If only I had seen him notice my gaze, "...Dante!" my eyes snapped back up, "...good to see you remember where you're supposed to be looking."

"Hey, I caught you staring too the other day." I got back to shaving.

Nero got back to getting dressed, "Guess with my new lingerie I'm all set to go dancing at the club tonight."

"Oh HELL no! You are NOT pole dancing in front of a whole club of people!"

I walked Nero up to the bar, almost wanting to put a hand on his side just to make sure he kept his clothes on.

Pfff. What did I have to worry about? This kid was the most modest thing in town. And this was _Fortuna_. But still...the boy had a bod worth $10 million. And if he _did_ get the urge to pole dance...it was _gonna_ be a private show. For _me_.

Gino, the club's manager/bartender, came over to us, "Hey you two. Dante, your usual good?"

My usual. A 'Strawberry Devil'. Oh hell yes... "Yeah. My usual's good."

Gino turned to Nero, "Okay. And of course, just a little Bat Bite for the baby." Gino looked at Nero.

A Bat Bite was worse for your masculinity than wine coolers. At least wine coolers had alcohol.

I kept my arm around him, possessively. He may not be my boyfriend yet, but my inner demon had already claimed him. This boy was mine, and if any of the strippers tried to hit on him, they were in for some serious lecturing. After a fist fight, of course.

Gino dropped off our drinks, and I got to work at downing the stuff. Nero sipped at his Bat Bite.

"Hey kid...now that we're here, you ready for that talk?"

Nero looked at me, downing his drink quickly, "...This place is a little public for that kind of talk, isn't it?"

"Not really. Everyone else is at the other end of the bar so they can watch the girls out on the stage. If we talk, nobody'll hear."

Nero bit his lip, looking a bit miffed with himself. "Well, I said it'd be okay, so...talk away." He faced me.

"Kid...you've probably started checking guys out by now, right?"

"No..."

"Well then, you're gonna soon. And one day, you're gonna see a man who's gorgeous, who's passionate, one who's the complete package you're looking for. And you'll probably take a good long time looking him over, testing the water, making sure he's good enough...but listen. You're smart to do that, but if you let that process get in the way of loving him, he could walk out of your life all together. And I don't wanna see you cry over loosing the love of your life. So if you've got a feeling of what he's like, and you already asked a few questions to clear up his history, then I want you to know that you _have_ to follow your instincts. If they tell you to rip off his clothes, rip 'em off. If they tell you to submit and let him chain you to the bed, let him. Don't hold back. If you love someone, you gotta tell them. No matter who it is, they _need_ to know how you feel."

"Okay..."

"Now for the tougher talk. Nero, you're a demon, and a teenaged one at that. Your body's sexually mature now, and it's gonna want a mate. And if you hold back your urges, your body's gonna go haywire. So I want you to know that whenever you find a suitable mate, you need to listen to what you really want. And I guarantee it won't be to stay a virgin. No man doesn't like sex, and it's _not_ something you need to be scared of. Trust me, it feels _good_ to sleep with someone, and this town might make it taboo, but sex is _amazing_. Your inner demon's gonna start to crave someone who's sexually compatible with you, so you need to take this seriously."

He sighed, hands on his drink and eyes down on the counter, "...Alright."

I ordered another Strawberry D., Gino bringing it over quickly.

I took a sip. "Look Nero...I just don't want you to hold back. I know you think self-control is important, but a man like you isn't meant to be controlled. You hate it when others try to control you, and _you _controlling you is the same thing. Cut yourself some slack, kid. Life's no fun when you tell yourself you can't do something without a good reason. And I want you to be happy, Nero, so please...let up a bit, n' let yourself have fun for once." I put my hand over his shoulder blade. "It's one thing to say no when a man asks you for sex. It's another completely to force your legs to stay closed when you feel a fire for this man that you've never felt before."

"Dante, my chastity is _way_ too important to me for me to give in to some carnal urge. I need to know that I'm sleeping with someone I can be with and love-"

"Knowing you, kid, you won't have any fire to worry about at all unless the man _is_ someone you fall in love with. ...So relax, okay?"

I watched as Nero and I finished our drinks. It was getting late, and Nero would wanna go home soon anyway. It was my second drink...maybe I was starting to feel a little tipsy... But before we left, I wanted to give him something to show how I loved him. Just a small, subtle something to speak for all the raging desire inside me. He seemed okay with kisses...

I leaned down, putting our lips together, kissing him. But...I didn't want to stop, and I could feel his shy lips still pressing against mine. Was he still kissing me? No way...we were making out!

And he wasn't fighting it!

My hand slid into his kitten-soft hair, his hands curled on my chest. Slowly, I put a hand on his hips. Our kisses were getting heated and needy as I came in even closer to him. His hands slid onto my upper arms, and the hand I had on his hip started to slip closer to his back pocket. Please don't tell me he was gonna hate me in the morning...not right now. Not when all I wanted to do was take him home, strip him, and make love with him. This was the_ first _concrete sign that he loved me as more than a friend.

"Whoa...um...what are you two doing?"

Our kiss broke, Gino looking at us like we were Martians.

He reached for our glasses, "Go home, get some rest, and do _not_ sleep next to each other."


	7. Ch 7: Denial

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 7: Denial (3/16/11)**

_I gasped, moaning as he made love to me. The bed slammed against the wall, his pace rough and fast. I raked my nails down his back, screaming for him as he went in even deeper. I felt a big, warm hand slip under my neck, and then his fangs pierced my throat._

_My body arched under him, but I kept silent and still as he fed from me. My legs hugged his hips, his hands on my thighs now to keep my legs spread wide enough for him._

_"...Dante!"_

_He pulled his fangs from my neck, his voice deep and silky, "Yes, Nero?"_

_"...More!"_

_His fangs drove into the other side of my neck, his body completely penetrating mine. I dragged my nails over his back again, feeling him harden inside me, our bodies meshing together, his thrusts furious and passionate. My head pressed back into the pillow, my body tensing as our climax approached. I dug my nails into him, his fangs going deeper into me. He moaned, grabbing my wrists and pinning them to the pillow as he lost himself in love-making. My back arched, his body completely impaling mine._

_I screamed and writhed, my body going into overload, his hands going back to keeping my thighs spread as the tension finally snapped, his seed flooding into me._

I gasped, panting, soaked in my own warm sweat. Another dream? They'd been going on for weeks... Ever since the night before we made out at Love Planet. And they were getting more and more vivid. More and more creative. Dante had been everything froma cop to a cowboy to a pirate captain. He was the doctor who gave me my physical, the stripper who entertained me and earned every cent of the $100 dollars he charged... God _where_ were these fetishes coming from? And _why_ did Dante have to be at the center of all this?

I grabbed the _Axe_ and a washcloth, throwing my nightclothes into the laundry closet. I got out the 'perfume' (We used it to hide our scent from enemy demons, but, conveniently, Dante wasn't immune to it.) and sprayed it over the basket, letting my clothes absorb it. And now it was off to the shower to wash the scent from my body too.

I started the water, stepping in, closing the door, and burying myself under the shower head.

I took a deep breath and leaned against the wall. Emotional and psychological pain was the same as physical pain. Grin and bear it, and you'd be fine. This had been going on for weeks. I could make it through one more morning. Right?

I had been telling myself that for a month now. That I could take one more day. But it never was just one more day. Every time I dreamt of him, thought of him, looked at him, those feelings just stirred and everything ignited inside me. I heated up, I burned, and I'd be left crying in shame when it was over. He was my _best friend_, he was like a brother, a father to me, and thoughts of him...'banging' me until my brain blew a circuit were _not _appropriate. And _not_ right. I wasn't supposed to want him or degrade him like this, and I _knew_ it.

What the _hell_ is wrong with me?

Did I have _no _self-control?

I slid down the wall onto the floor, fighting back tears with surprising success.

"Hey, kid...next time you wanna hide something from me, don't slip up."

..._What?_

"You sprayed down your clothes, but you forgot the bed. And your scent is all over it. And the smell was strong enough to wake me up thinking there was a demon waiting to mate with me. I thought she smelled pretty delicious too. Until I found out it wasn't a 'she' I was smelling. I could still smell the _Axe _under the pheromones."

Oh my god...here it was. He knew I was lusting for him. He knew it, he knew he was straight now, and he was _so_ not letting us be friends anymore, was he? Oh my god...I was about to get the harshest rejection ever, and I completely deserved it.

"Nero, look..." Here it came. "I had Trish and Lady do some research for me. They were on vacation after their job, but I told them it was for you and it needed to happen. Since Paris is an old city with a lot of books, they found a lot of stuff out for me. You wanted to know my orientation, right? Well here it is. I'm gay. But female pheromones are a huge turn-on for me. And you have both of the things I need in a mate. A male body, and the scent of a woman that'll clinging to you no matter how much you wash it away or cover it up."

...what? He hadn't rejected me yet...where was he going with this?

"I told you before, you're maturing. Your scent'll only get stronger, and your urges'll follow suit. Trish confirmed it. And I know what these showers are about now. They're about shame. About pain. About you being desperate to deny something that's hard-wired into you and that'll never go away. Kid...you and I are growing up. And the more you hold back, the worse it gets. Telling a demon 'no' isn't the way to handle a problem. Not unless you _want_ an angry demon." There was a pause. I heard him come closer. "Kid, you realize you're fighting _the_ strongest and most natural instinct the animal kingdom knows, right? Moms do extreme things when their instincts to save their kids kick in, but demons would kill for their mate and not think twice about it. Demons who mate share the rest of their lives together. And they do a _lot_ of what you've been dreaming about 'cause that kind of unity is so intense for them that it completely_ consumes _them. And it's natural for mates to be like that when two demons fall in love. And make no mistake, you know what you are, you know what I am, and you know a human guise doesn't change what kind of blood flows through our veins. A demon is a demon. And your urges _will_ consume you if you fight them."

I heard the shower door open. I looked up from my seat on the floor, my eyes as calm as possible. He disrobed in front of me with no sign of any inhibitions, and then he sat down next to me, _naked_, his body meeting mine in ways they never had before. His arm went around my shoulders, his elbow draping over my back as he pulled me up against himself.

"You know how I told you to make it known when you fall in love with someone? Back at Love Planet just before we kissed? ...I think now would be a good time to follow up on that advice kid. I mean it." his tone stayed serious.

"That's gutsy of you. Assuming it's love." I commented.

"Kid, I told you, Trish did research for me. Demons don't know what meaningless sex is. They'll never have it because there's no denying someone you slept with the right to say they're your mate. And they _do_ mate for life. Which is why they also only mate with other demons. That's how I know this is love, and that's how I know this involves me. I'm the only male demon you know, and there's no such thing as what you feel being just lust for me."

I squirmed, pulling my legs in closer to myself. "So...you know?"

"If you're asking if I know you're in love with me, the answer is 'yes'. And I've had my suspicions for a while."

He cupped my chin in his fingers, turning my head and planting a deep, impassioned kiss on my lips. It was only one kiss, but it was the kind of kiss friends didn't share. The kind you saved for that special someone. The kind you sent with love and a strong dose of lust.

He knew... He knew I liked him and he didn't seem to find anything wrong with it. Hell, he was _encouraging_ it.

Did we both loose our minds?


	8. Ch 8: Frustration and Fetishes

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 8: Frustration and Fetishes (3/20/2011)**

This kid is a neurotic, thick-skulled, _stubborn_ self-deprivation machine.

He sits there, ready to cry because he's in love with me, and then he does everything he can to push me away when he finds out I love him back. This kid is gonna blow any day now, and when he does, it'll be a slow, painful, held-back-like-the-rest-of-him process that could take_ forever_ to make him bloom. _If _he blooms and doesn't wind up dead inside instead.

_God _this kid has issues...and see, I _told_ you he would, didn't I? I told you, you _cannot_ tell a demon 'no'. And here he is, telling himself 'no'. Now he's _really _gonna blow. And I'm not gonna lift a finger because the only way Nero's gonna learn is by cold, hard experience. The only way he's gonna snap out of it is if he _makes_ himself snap.

He's just sitting there on the couch, with his 'neko-ears' back, arms around his knees, wondering why I'm mad and what he did to upset me. Truth is I'm not mad at him at all. I'm mad at the way he keeps himself on such a tight leash. I'm mad at how he refuses to see the obvious. I'm mad at how he refuses to believe there's love between us. And I'm furious at how this is gonna be one _hell_ of a growing pain for him. Oh, and on top of it, now that we know we have feelings for each other, I'm officially sexually frustrated.

This is fucking ridiculous. I could have a line of lovers waiting for me long enough to put the president's entourage to shame. And this kid is keeping me waiting because he thinks we're still just friends and refuses to get over that. He's keeping me waiting because of those stupid little morals of his.

Nero got up off the couch, heading to the small bar where we (everyone who lives here) keep snacks. I didn't bother to pay attention. I just took out my frustration by giving the weapons magazine I was reading a death glare. And you thought it would be a 'dirty' magazine I was reading, didn't you?

Eh. I preferred not to be a player. I...kinda had my eye on Nero for a while. And he'd never be with me if I wasn't as 'pure' as he was. Thus the reason I had to stay fully dressed and act decently around other people, ergo no 'dirty' content or skimpy clothing no matter how good I look in fish net... _God_ this shirt's zipper is choking me!

Nero stood in front of my desk, holding a plate with a slice of pizza, a small bowl of strawberry ice cream, and a chocolate sundae too.

"You want? Or do you want me to save it in the fridge for you?" he offered in his 'kawaii-ness' voice.

"Mmm..." I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I was too upset to have an appetite. "Not now, kid. I'm not hungry. Thanks, but keep it in the fridge for me, 'kay?"

He did his best to force a smile onto his depressed, worried face.

He doesn't get it. Love is something he may never learn to understand. I'm not mad at him, but I'm desperate for him to show me some love. It's been a few days and he's not even sleeping next to me any more. Red Egyptian cotton and a snow-tiger-print blanket mean nothing when your potential mate insists on staying a foot away. Before, he used to fall asleep in my arms. He's insisting that we be less intimate. So now that I'm his boyfriend, I get _more_ restrictions than I did as his friend? Really, Nero?

God this kid is driving me up a_ friggin' wall!_ What's it gonna take to break him in so he stops fighting my love? How am I supposed to get him to understand that love isn't something you choose?

...*huff*...*sigh*...I love him!...

RRRIING RRIIING...RRRIING RRIIING!

And my thoughts are officially cut short.

"Devil May Cry. Got a demon problem?" I pick up the phone. Simply. With my hand. No fancy tricks. No stalling just to see if they'll go away. That's how messed up I am over Nero right now.

_"Dante...you and Nero haven't been back here in a while. There's...nothing going on, is there?"_

"Gino, ...I wish. But no. Nero's still a virgin. Much to the dismay of me and my readers."

_"Your readers?"_

"Yep. This has gotten so bad I'm posting this as a fanfiction on line. I started it on Valentine's Day."

_"...And does Nero know about this?"_

I looked over at him on the couch. His eyes were wide, no longer depressed, and filled with a combo of fear and shock.

"He does now."

_"Dante are you telling me he's right there and he only knows 'cause you just let it slip in front of him?"_

"Yeah...I guess I am. But that's not the point. The point is that-..."

I heard Nero get up off the couch. His boot steps grew nearer and nearer, slow and rhythmic, dominating, meaning that _he _meant business. I stopped mid-way in my sentence.

"Gino...I'll call you back." my voice faltered. Mad Nero was not a good thing.

Just before I gave Nero the phone, I heard it. _"Dante...you're screwed."_

Nero took the phone, "Like he said...you two can talk later. Thanks for calling." he hung up, sitting on the edge of the desk. His face went fully serious as he let a small pause grow. "A fanfiction? Are you serious? Where we'll wind up being in love and having a huge audience for the love scenes I _know_ you'll write? And you weren't even gonna tell me?"

RRRIING RRIIING...RRRIING RRIIING...

I grabbed the phone, "Devil May Cry? Got a demon problem? Coincidence, so do I!"

A quiet, soft voice started on the other side, _"Oh...but...does that mean you're busy? I have a serious demon issue...please, this is _not_ gonna turn out well if you leave things to take care of themselves..."_

"Oh, you're a customer...no, no, now's _great_! Seriously, it is! We'll be there in a dash." I got the info on the demons, and the address. I had never seen luckier timing in my life.

Basilisks always had to be complicated. A few of them had flooded a street in the shopping district, and all the store owners had evacuated with their customers without any serious issues. Nero and I went to the middle of the street.

"Hey you little mutts! Get over here! The pet store's five blocks down. You guys don't have any need to be here."

All I got were growls in response, some of the Basilisks had gotten closer. Odd...normally Nero would comment on a lame joke like that...

I heard a snarl, and Nero gave a surprised 'huh?' before finally aiming Blue Rose in time to stop from being put under the 'dog food' isle.

'Huh?' _'Huh?'_ Was the kid even paying attention?

I turned, wondering what had caught his attention enough to make him space out. And then I saw it. The one thing provocative enough to make Nero stare.

If you thought magazines could be dirty, what this shop sold was for things that were a hell of a lot dirtier. I could see gags, handcuffs, chains, and some things that I _really_ didn't want to know the intended use of...

"RAAAHWWWWRR!"

I aimed Ebony and Ivory just in time to take down a Basilisk in mid-leap. Then another three were well on their way to us. Didn't they get the hint? Two of their buddies were dead. Nero and I were dangerous! Maybe they just had dogged determination to avenge their pals...X'D.

The three Basilisks came at us, Nero drawing Yamato and easily slaying them with Ebony and Ivory's assistance. (Good thing they're both so precise...Nero would be even more mad if I accidentally shot him...). All five corpses turned to dust and released their Orbs. Nero collected them so the Order could pay us in proportion to the demons we took out. I got all the evacuated townsfolk back to the shops. By the time everyone got here, Nero was starring into the window of the 'dirty' store, apparently with his eye on something.

"Um...hello? Hi. I'm...the person who called..." the meek voice from the phone started up next to me. I turned my attention to a slender, late-teen-aged goth boy who showed his timid nature even in the way that he stood: leaned back, arms folded together, like he was scared and trying to protect himself. "Umm...does your friend there see something he's interested in?"

Oh, no way in hell. This boy, our client, ran the shop Nero was standing at? "Eh...looks to me like you might have a couple of customers." I started walking over to Nero, the boy following me. (Yeah, he's probably older than me, but 'boy' suits him too well.)

Nero turned to look at us, almost starting to blush.

"Did you se something you wanted to buy?" the boy asked

"Um...just...a pair of boots." Nero was getting almost as timid as the cashier.

I looked in the window. On display was a pair of black, leather-esk boots with pink lace trim and three-inch heels. They were almost old-fashioned-looking, and they went all the way up your calves... oh I could see myself undoing the laces of those boots...and then sliding them off Nero's legs...while he wore that _hot_ pair of black lace panties...and with him laid back on our bed...

I was so distracted I almost didn't even see Nero go in to make the purchase.

We went in the front door of Devil May Cry. I carried in the bag of things I had picked up at the shop, and Nero was already strutting in his new boots. If I knew him well, which I did, he'd want to change into something that complimented the boots more when we got upstairs.

We got to our bedroom, Nero opening the door and going for our closet. Yep. He was gonna go through our entire outfit collection now.

I laid the bag's contents out on the bed. Now I could be a cop, and Nero could be a cat, or a sexy, hard-core bad girl…. And we had the toys to go with it too.

Oh _hell_ yes. As soon as Nero opened up to me, I was going to town with him. All the 'fetish clothing' could go on the upper shelf of our closet with the cowboy hat (another 'fetish' piece) that was already up there.

Nero took off his shirt, changing. He caught me staring. "Dante...put the...'toys' away. You are _not_ using them with me now and you know it."

"But-"

"No. And don't think I won't be reading your fanfiction."

:( ...Well, it could be worse.

**A/N: I know, posting has been a bit hectic and slow, but I'm seriously busy. On the up side, I proofread and edited everything from chapter 3 up to chapter 6. Re-read if you want!^^**


	9. Ch 9: Desire

**Roses Are Red: Chapter 9: Desire (3/21/2010)**

Dante had dragged me out to Love Planet. Again. And I had struck a deal with the devil.

"So, you know how it goes. You drink tonight, I give you my fanfiction. And it _has_ to have alcohol."

Gino came over. In less than one second of seeing us: "No."

"Huh?" Dante and I store.

"No. I'm cutting you two off. You two got drunk enough to kiss last time you came here. And that was _no_ friendly kiss. You two were goin' at it. I was afraid you two were gonna start ripping your clothes off, and I am _not_ letting that happen. I'd have to pay you two for it if you took your clothes off…and you two would get so much attention you could name your price. I don't think so. So no. No alcohol."

"Aww, come on. Nero and I are boyfriends now. We can't even have drinks together now?" Dante put his arm around my torso, pulling me in closer to him. What the hell was he talking about?

Gino rose his eyebrow, suspicion still clutching at him.

I seized the opportunity, "_Please_, come on. Dante said he'd write a fanfiction of us if I had a drink tonight…and now that we're together…I feel safer drinking around him. You can trust us, Gino, don't worry." I nuzzled against Dante. I'd kick his butt for making me act like his boyfriend later. But unfortunately, it was the best chance I had at seeing his fanfiction. Even if I had to lie.

"Fine. Fine you two. But if you do something you regret, don't blame me. Can I assume you want two strawberry devils?" he pulled down two glasses.

Dante winked at me, signaling for me to 'trust him', "Yeah. Bring 'em on." He let Gino get to work. "…Trust me kid. You want your first time to be wild and memorable, and you want your first sip of alcohol to be the same way. If you _do_ drink tonight, you'll be hooked for good on this drink."

We waited a few minutes for Gino to finish our drinks before he got called away by another customer. I felt bad for the girls here. They didn't seem to mind the attention or the lack of modesty, but I would die if I was in their shoes. And the guy who called Gino away obviously wasn't considering the feelings of the girls he was staring at.

"Hey…kid…drink up."

I turned my attention back to Dante and my drink. I gently wrapped my fingers around the glass. I store at the pink liquid inside, almost envious and upset with it. This was the same drink that Dante had gotten enamored with. The same drink that kept Dante coming back here. I hated it. But…right now I sort of needed it. Dante was not one to be shy with his words. And where he could fit in a scene where we were…'intimate'…he would. And I did not want to let something like that go uncensored.

"Kid…live a little. Go on." Dante leaned in and brushed his nose along the shell of my ear and nuzzled me, already sipping at his strawberry devil.

I store at it a bit longer before raising it near my lips. At least it smelled good….

Dante set his drink down, grabbed the bottom of my glass, and dipped me back in his arms, forcing me back and forcing the liquid down my throat. I swallowed.

It…was good. It wasn't awful artificial strawberry, but it wasn't fruity like real strawberry either. It was smooth and had a bit of a bite to it from the alcohol. At least, I thought the alcohol was behind that.

Dante finally let me back up. "So, how was it?"

"Not…not bad. It was…alright."

Dante smiled, "Hey Gino, he likes it." He called over to our bartender.

I…I guess that was true. It was good. And I could trust Dante...maybe tonight was a night where I could let my inner demon out a bit.

* * *

In less than five minutes, Nero finished his drink. And Gino kept his glass full. By now, Nero might not even be minding how often his glass met his lips. But I was keeping track. And somehow, he was starting to beat me. He finished his second drink two minutes before I did.

Gino store, as surprised as I was. He came over with two beers. "Okay, okay…Nero is notorious for his beginner's luck, but what do you say? You think he can out-drink you Dante?"

I thought about it. I had seen Nero eat before, and if he could chug as fast he could swallow, he'd kick butt. But he had two drinks already! He had to be a little spent, right?"

"I'll bet you twenty bucks I can." Nero smiled.

Whoa…okay, who was this and what had he done with Nero?

We both put twenty bucks up for grabs on the counter. Gino opened the beers. Nero and I grabbed them at the same time. I tilted my head back, bringing the beer to my lips. I swallowed, not even bothering to savor the taste. I was competing, and I preferred fancier drinks than beer.

"Aww no way! Lemme see your mouth!"

I stopped, hearing Gino's voice. I set my bottle down. Nero grinned at me, taking forty dollars into his hands and getting up off his barstool.

"Guess I better show my boyfriend some love if I want him to not be a sore looser…."

He leaned over, sitting in my lap and kissing me.

Okay, strawberry devils were _not_ for people who couldn't hold their alcohol. And an 18-ounce beer on top of that… Nero wasn't entirely drunk just yet, but give him one more glass of anything here, and he'd be slurring and stumbling like a complete goof-ball.

Gino rose his eyebrows as Nero wrapped his arms around me even more, and I shuttered as Nero's lips fell to my neck. I made eye contact with Gino, shaking my head, telling him not to keep filling Nero's glass. He went to tend to his other customers, knowing we were done.

"Okay…Nero…."

"Mmmh….Daddy, call me kitten….." he nipped at my neck.

"Nero…whoa…okay, calm down. I really don't think this is a good idea…you don't even drink kid, what's gotten into you?"

The heels of his new black boots clacked as they met behind my waist. "I already got my first taste of alcohol…more wouldn't have hurt…if I'm gonna drink, I'm gonna drink…you wanted a looser Nero, and here he is, and I'm having fun. Maybe I should have other kinds of fun tonight too…." He purred.

I stood up, getting him off my lap. This was not like him…he was drunk….

I lead us out of Love Planet, almost tipsy myself. There was no way I was driving us home.

* * *

"AND NEXT TIME YOU GET MY LITTLE BROTHER DRUNK YOU'RE TOAST DANTE!" Credo drove off.

*Sigh*. Yep. I finally chose to do the smart, responsible, safe thing, and not drive while I'm 'intoxicated', and he yells at me for it. Oh well…you can't win them all.

Nero closed the door, grabbing my coat and slamming our lips together. He pulled me in the direction of the stairs.

"Mmm!" I pulled away, "Kid, what the hell is up with you? You won't even kiss me or sleep next to me, and I get you a little drunk, and you throw yourself at me!"

His eyes watered a bit, a frown carving onto his face, and he backed away. I almost didn't hear it: "I'm sorry…" He looked down, starting to go upstairs like a kid sent to time out.

I followed him up to our room, "Nero…I didn't mean it, I'm just frustrated…I just don't think right now is a good time." I hugged him, not wanting to see him cry.

He got out of my grip, slipping off his jacket and shirt, reaching for my belt buckle, "If I've been upsetting you…let me make it up to you. I want you to know I love you…."

He kissed me, slipping his tongue into my mouth, his hands massaging me as they slid under my shirt.

For the first time in….ever, Nero was touching me. I could feel his soft touch on my skin, my body screaming for more. He pushed me against the wall, his hands sliding into my pants. My entire body tensed, feeling his fingers on the hottest, most sensitive part of my body. Nobody had ever done this to me…between the alcohol and his touch, I was so going to loose my mind. One of his hands kept stroking me, one slipping up to take off my shirt, my body following his as he lead us to the bathroom. He opened the shower stall, starting to strip me and remove the rest of his clothes.

Oh my god…Nero and I were naked….I could feel him start the water, and I could feel his touch all over my body. Oh god this was NOT going to end well….


	10. Ch 10: Hit

**Roses Are Red 10: Hit (3/22/11)**

I opened my eyes.

Immediately, a headache came rushing over me. I was almost dizzy...

What the hell happened last night?

I squirmed against the soft sheets of my bed, feeling the warmth of my blanket and Dante. I came closer to him, nuzzling him. Nothing bad happened last night. I trusted him. He'd look out for me. All I seemed to remember was a strawberry devil in my hands...but he was my best friend. He'd protect me.

I rested my head on his pillow, mine wet for some reason. But...his was wet too...?

I rolled over, putting my back against Dnate and geting a view of the bathroom. Which...was...filled...with the clothes I remembered wearing last night...and there was water there, too...

I bolted up, realizing why the sheets felt so good. There was nothing between them and me. I was naked. And in bed. With Dante. Who told me straight to my face that he loves me. And last night, I must have been drunk. And it looked like Dante and I both hopped in the shower. So we had both been naked together. And what, nothing happened between the time we got between the sheets to the time I woke up this morning? That didn't seem likely. Did Dante...take advantage of me? Oh my god...this was NOT happeneing. My best friend did NOT sleep with me last night. I did NOT just throw my purity out the door last night. NO. Dante did NOT..._rape _me...

What else was I supposed to believe though?

I hugged my knees.

So much for best friend...

I got up and went into the bathroom. My panties were shoved in his back pocket. I took them, supressing my pain and my anger as much as possible. I slipped thwm on and looked for the bra that went with them. It was conveniently shoved under his pillow case, just barely visible. Drunk people do crazy things, right? My shirt and my pants were on the floor in the bathroom. I picked them up and set all my clothes on my side of the bed. I got dressed in silence, not even knowing what to say to him. I trusted him. I cared about him. And I thought he cared about me too. But if he could do this to me, the obviously...he didn't.

I hugged my knees again. My eyes were starting to sting. My chest and back were tensing up. I put my head on my arms. I could feel tears starting to form.

"Hey...kid...listen, I told you, I just wanted to wait til you were sober. That doesn't mean I don't love you. Jeez, had I known a rejection would have hurt you this much, I...might not have said no."

It was Dante's voice. But what he was saying made no sense.

"What are you talking about?" I half-glared, half-sobed at him.

"Oh shit...kid..." he came closer, "I'm sorry...Nero, don't cry...I told you, I love you..." he kissed my forehead.

"What are you talking about?" I insisted.

"You don't remember?"

"I was drunk!"

"Oh...yeah...heheh, and you _really_ can't hold your liquor. You had two drinks, a beer, and bam, you were in my lap. I had to call Credo to drive us home before you tried to take your clothes off."

"And then what? You slept with me?"

"Huh? No! You dragged me into the shower, but didn't you hear me? I said I wanted to wait til you were sober before we made love. I'll be honest...there was some romance last night, but I stopped it before we went too far. I love you, kid...I'd never hurt you like that! Come on. I'll be honest, I let you put your hands on parts of me they've never touched before, and I...sort of...took the chance to molest you a bit myself...but I didn't sleep with you. I came close, and you wanted me to, but I told you I wanted to wait. You didn't really like it that much though. So I thought you were crying about it. But you don't even remember last night?"

"No...but you swear you didn't...de-purify me?"

"Kid, you're a virgin still." he saw I still wasn't sure, and pulled back the blankets, showing his clingy black boxers, pointing between his legs quickly, "Kid...do I have to show you that this wouldn't fit in you right now? 'Cause I can pick up right where we left off last night, and I can show you there's no way in hell I...'penetrated' you."

I thought about it. I was curious about exactly what he did to me, but we were still...not quite at the level of intimacy where that was approprite yet.

"If you're worried that it'd be too dirty, might I add we already did it?"

* * *

Nero squirmed, gripping onto my shoulders. He gasped, "Dante!"

I let the shower pour down onto us as I went for his neck and chest. He kissed me, his arms going around my neck. I lifted him, his legs going around my waist. Our hips met and our bodies ignited and the friction between us grew violent. The shower wasn't the most comfortable I turned off the water, and we both grabbed a towel, drying each other off and petting each other through the cloth. Our lips were meshed and our bodies were _still_ on fire.

I dragged him onto our bed, pushing him onto the covers, his legs spreading and wrapping around me.

"You sure you wanna go any further?"

I watched him think it over, his arm wrapping around my neck. "Maybe a little...we can go further if we've already done this."

I picked him up and pulled the covers away, nearly slamming him back onto the bed. His legs pulled me in closer. I laid down on top of him, his hand resting on the back of my shoulder. His lips fell onto my cheek. His legs pulled me closer. He must be eager...

"Dante...don't expect my boundaries do drop after this, but...just this once, for now, until we get ready for this...if you want...I'll let you take me."

I thought about it...was he ready?

The door slammed, the bells on the front door jingling. "DANTE! NERO! We're home!"

Trish and Lady came up stairs, Kyrie running to our door. Nero pulled the covers over us.

Kyrie knocked on the door, "Hey! You two in there? I get the rest of the week off! Can I come in?"

"Um, uh...now's not a good time...we're not decent." Nero replied.

"What? WHy are you two...not dressed?" Kyrie asked.

"What? Nero and Dante are naked together?" Lady squealed.

Great. Just great.

Nero looked up, making puppy/I'm-sorry-eyes, sighing.


End file.
